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Troops arrive on the border "Welcome. I'm glad you're here and we can use your help," said Chief Patrol Agent Simon Garza, Jr., as he welcomed Texas National Guard soldiers to Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol Marfa Sector earlier this week. The guard contingent is part of an overall deployment on the Southwest Border of the United States to assist the Border Patrol. "We've worked with the guard for a number of years so we know each other," said Garza. National Guard troops have been deployed in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas as a request from President Bush in May. The soldiers will be serving in a support role to the Border Patrol so that agents can be freed up to perform their primary mission which is protect the border with Mexico from terrorists and their weapons as well as stop illegal immigration and the importation of illegal drugs. Over 3,000 troops are already on the border or on their way and up to 6,000 will be on the border by the first of August. "This mission is a good fit for our troops," said Lt. Col. Howard Palmer, who commands the Marfa Sector contingent. "We've trained intensively to do the job we've been asked to do, and we'll take this opportunity to apply our skills." "Most of us volunteered for the duration of the mission," he said. "We'll stay until the job is done." Guard members are building roads and fences, working in Border Patrol garages, performing radio dispatch and administrative functions. In the Marfa Sector, the guard will primarily provide surveillance assistance. They will be assigned to areas where people might try to enter the country illegally. Their job will be to notify the Border Patrol if they encounter illegal aliens or drug smugglers. The soldiers will be assigned to stations at various places along the sector's 510 miles of international border. The deployment is expected to take up to two years while the Border Patrol trains additional agents at its Artesia, New Mexico, academy. It took 13 hours and over 300 people but one lost little boy is back home safe with his family. City, County to help purchase fire truck The city of Alpine and Brewster County have agreed insure that the Alpine Volunteer Fire Department has a ladder truck in the near future. "Welcome. I'm glad you're here and we can use your help," said Chief Patrol Agent Simon Garza, Jr., as he welcomed Texas National Guard soldiers to Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol Marfa Sector earlier this week. The guard contingent is part of an overall deployment on the Southwest Border of the United States to assist the Border Patrol. County to Purchase library building Staff Writer City pledges $50,000 towards fire truck The city of Alpine has pledged $50,000 over five years towards the purchase of a used ladder truck to be used by the Alpine Fire Department (AFD). |
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